The One Reason To Smile
by xXCandimcCoolXx
Summary: She wants to start a new life without her family and he is going to make the process easier for her! JeffxCandice
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hey everyone! This is my first story...I hope you´ll like it! Please read and review!

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CHAPTER ONE- "Should I Smile Or Cry?"

„_You thought this would be the best option to choose__ to achieve a good life for us, for your family?" Candice yelled with her heated voice at her mother in surprise of her being that careless of the image of their family._

"_What do you think? Do you think it´s easy for me? I didn´t have the choice, ok. With your father being drunk all day and sitting on his butt__, how should we pay for our food or any other pay bills?" _

_Candice looked down at the floor because she wasn´t able to look at her mother. It was d__isgusting…she was disgusting…her step- father was disgusting. Why does she have to be a part of it? 17 years were filled with pain, suffering, helplessness and loneliness…Usually people at this age live their life to the fullest with happiness, liberty and most importantly with people that love you and ones you love. But Candice missed this kind of life because of her stepfather and her mother…"I Hate You." She said with a deep voice._

"_I did it for us…for you…" her mom said as she tried to touch Candices face, but Candice quickly moved the hand out of her face and stared at her with furious eyes._

"_You left me everyday alone with this drunk monster. He always hit me when he didn´t get his alcohol. Most of the time I couldn´t go to school because of being ill or not able to show up in school. And you wanna tell me, that you did everything just for me? You know what, you don´t have to anymore cause you´re not gonna have a daughter to worry about anymore."_

x:x:x:x:x:x

Candice remembered the day she had an argument with her mother. It was the last time she saw her mother. Although 2 years passed, Candice still felt the anger against her mother and her so called step- father. It was hell she was living in for almost 18 years.

But now everything changed, because she wanted it that way.

At evening, watching TV, she waited for Mickie, her best friend to come home. They live together for almost 2 years.

x:x:x:x:x:x

_After running away from her mother, Candice walked through the dark __and loud roads. Some drunk bum began to harass her. At first, Candice wasn´t aware of the bum, she was still shocked by her mother. With scattered thoughts she was there, not knowing what to do and where to go. The one thing she knew was the fact that she was sick of her life. Even though she didn´t know how to go on, she just wouldn´t return to the misery at any rate._

"_Hey Barbie, why are you so lonely? The streets aren´t safe at this time. Come with me, my place is enough for 2 people__." The drunk bum said holding Candices waist and trying to kiss her neck, but after Candice noticed the weird situation she was in now, she tried to release herself from the grip._

"_Let go of me" she nearly cried. Old memories came to her mind she wanted to forget so badly._

"_Come on, it will be fun. You´ll love it" continuing to kiss her neck and to touch every single detail of her body. Candice felt sick. He smelt just horrible like he hadn´t take a shower in a really long time._

"_No, Please" she struggled to get free. "I don´t want to"_

"_I said, come on bitch" getting angry, he began to pull her by her arm. She tried to oppose but wasn´t strong enough to stop him from pulling her away. All of a sudden her voice became loud enough to irritate the bum._

"_No" and with that he stopped, staring at her with rage._

"_What did you just say?"_

"_I said no" she answered clearly and confidently, which the bum didn´t like at all._

"_Listen bitch. It doesn´t matter at all what you want. Only what I want is important. So, shut the hell up and follow me. Understand?" he ordered, getting in her face. Candice looked away, but the bum immediately grabbed her chin to look at her straightly. "Understand?" he yelled now. Candice looked to him unsure what to do. And from nowhere Candice kicked him right where a man doesn´t want to be kicked. She wasn´t aware of what she did. The bum fell to the ground and began to scream and wince in pain. "Oh no, you didn´t do this" he hissed, while he tried to get up to his feet to catch Candice. _

_But Candice __began to run as fast as she could. Looking back now and then, Candice noticed from a distance more than one person running after her. At the moment Candice was afraid of everything. What if they would catch up? She didn´t wanted to know. Shaking the sickening thoughts out of her head, she concentrated on running away. She turned the corner into a long narrow street. At the end of the dark narrow street she could see lights. No, it wasn´t an illusion. She could hear people chatting with one another and walking down the street. It must be the main street she thought. _

_She carried on with running until she reached the end of the narrow street__. Slowing down, she glanced at the tall buildings along the street, which thousands of people filled. Candice acted like she saw people laughing and enjoying the night for the first time in her life. She hated nights. There wasn´t a reason for her to laugh. She cried every night… Lost in her thoughts she forgot the reason why she was standing in front of a crowded street. After hearing the bum yelling at her she looked back to see them speed up to reach her. _

_Not waiting another second she squeezed herself through the crowds__ so they would lose sight of her. At the same time she checked out if they were still rushing to her. Crossing the crowds she stood in the middle of a street still focused on the bum and his gang. But a loud horn of a car confused her. Before she could even make out the whole situation a large black limousine knocked her down. Candice laid on the ground with everyone being in a state of shock. The chauffeur and a posh dressed man came out of the limousine and hurried to Candice. _

_The chauffeur was really nervous. "I..I´m sorry Mr. Michaels. I did my best to stop but…"_

"_Ok ok, __This isn´t the right moment to speak and all that things. We have to rush her to a hospital. She is bleeding from her head. Come on. Help me to pick her up and let´s carry her to the car." _

_They laid her on one of the seats. Inside the limousine it was completely dark. __"How much longer is it going to take?"_

"_Unfortunately at least one and a half hour."_

x:x:x:x:x:x

The doorbell rang. For Candice it was the sound of happiness. She waited for Mickie to come for hours. She had been on a journey for almost 3 days. She called Candice to inform her of her arrival as soon as the day broke.

Never had she been that late. But all in all it wasn´t surprising because of her job. Mickie is a WWE Diva. That explains why she is away a lot. Opening the door Candice nearly floored Mickie with a big and powerful hug. "OMG Mickie! Finally you´re here. I missed you so much." Candices happiness was recognizable and Mickie could feel it enormously.

"Candice..Candice I..can´t..breath…" coughing at the same time.

"Oh no, I´m sorry Mickie" She immediately released Mickie from the hug. "I ´m just so happy that you´re back here." She squealed with a bright smile on her face hopping up and down.

Suddenly Candice heard a lot of laughter nearby. Candice stopped to hop and looked at Mickie interrogatively. Mickie just smiled, which confused Candice.

Candice started to follow to the noise. "Mickie, I think it´s coming from the backyard" she whispered. "Come on. Let´s see what´s going on there. Or wait a moment…I have a better idea." Candice quickly walked into the house and came out with an umbrella holding it very tight in her hands. "Mickie, you call the police and I´ll see what´s happening up there."

"Candice, uhh Candice…Can you please wait a moment" Mickie attempted to stop Candice from walking away with the umbrella in her hands. Candice didn´t listen to Mickie and went on her tiptoes to be as quiet as possible. "Candice" Mickie nearly shouted. "We don´t need to call the police. There´s nothing." Mickie said as Candice was about to turn into the backyard.

"What are you saying Mickie" Candice was now confused again "Didn´t you hear the noise. I have to check that out." Candice didn´t care of what Mickie meant by her words. She kept walking towards there backyard. As she turned the corner Candice almost fainted because of the powerful cry familiar faces were performing.

"SURPRISE!"

x:x:x:x:x:x

"_Is she alright, doctor?" Shawn hoped everything was okay._

"_Well for now everything´s under control…But she lost a lot of blood, so she is unimmunized…Though she doesn´t have to stay in a hospital, I´ll write out a prescription for you, just to be on the safe side." the doctor gave Shawn a light pat on the back._

_In the meantime, Shawn walked up to Candices room to see her. Candice lay on the bed, her eyes still closed. After entering the room, Shawn closed__ the door behind him. He stood right in front of the door with his eyes focused on Candice. Instead of Candices face he saw the face of the person, who meant everything for him…his daughter. He wouldn´t want her to be in the situation Candice was in right now. He thought about the parents of Candice. If they would have known, Shawn imagined that they must have been miserable._

_Shawn also could have leave Candice there and just mind his own business. But he isn´t a person like that. He is religious and cares about everyone, no matter who it is__. So he was determined to help Candice._

_Suddenly the door behind Shawn __opened. His chauffeur came in, hitting Shawn with the door unintentionally. Shawn tripped and almost fell to the ground. But as soon as the chauffeur realized what he did, he immediately caught Shawn by his arm. "Oh my God! I..I´m sorry Mr. Michaels. I didn´t mean to.." the chauffeur spoke up nervously._

"_MAN! Can´t you be careful for once? She´s going to wake up." Shawn whispered angrily. Candice slowly opened her eyes. "Great! You see what you did..."__ Shawn looked at him annoyed because of his chauffeur being that clumsy. "Wait in the limo!"_

"_But there is something I´ve been ordered to tell you."_

"_Later!" Shawn glanced at him for an instant and he immediately left._

_Turn__ing to Candice, Shawn recognized the uncertainty of Candice by her quick and bemused moving eyes. Shawn moved next to Candice. "Hey, are you okay?" he asked._

_Candice tried to remember the events that night but she was still dazed. "Where am I? What am I doing here? I can´t remember anything. My head hurts…" she __whined grabbing her head with one hand._

"_Calm down. I´ll tell you everything, but later…Now, you have to recover from the accident you´ve had…"__ Shawn grabbed a glass and filled it with water. "Do you wanna drink water?" he asked._

_Candice looked at the water and one by one she began to remember __everything that had happened earlier on. The argument with her mother, the annoying bum, who just wouldn´t let go of her and the car accident…And now she was in a hospital. That wasn´t good at all. How would she pay the treatment and the room? She looked at Shawn and simply shook her head as she answered the question "No…I have to go." Candice began to get up from the bed but failed. Her pulse still was thready. She felt weak as she plunged back into the bed. Pain everywhere in her body..._

"_Oh God..I´m gonna call the doctor!" Shawn placed the glass back on the table and started to rush to the door in a panicked manner._

"_No, no.." Candice almost stood up again but stopped and laid down on the bed groaning as soon as she felt the unbearable pain in her body..._

_Shawn __heard Candice and immediately stopped. "Oh girl, why are you so stubborn? The doctor is just going to take a look if everything´s alright with you…" slowly making his way to her side Shawn spoke up. "Don´t get me wrong. I´m just really sorry because of the accident. This gnaws at my conscience..I just want to straighten this out somehow…But if you don´t want to be in the hospital then I could drive you to your home." smiling and lightly patting on her right hand._

_Maybe it would be the right thing if Candice felt awkward. But instead Candice felt safe and comfortable near Shawn. For Candice Shawn was like a caring father__, trying to make his little daughter happy at any cost. That´s why she wasn´t afraid that something bad could happen. Shawn wasn´t like her stepfather. Candice was sure of that. "I..I don´t have a home…" Candice looked up to Shawn and wondered how he´ll react. _

_Shawn imagined that Candice must have problems with her family cause it´s not usual that a girl runs through the __streets of a city at night like she was escaping…Smiling once again at her, Shawn said "Alright! Then why not be my guest?" Candice didn´t expect that at all. She didn´t know what she should do now. "Don´t worry! I have a daughter. I´m sure she will be glad to get to know you!"_

_What should she do? If she refuses to this offer where is she going to stay? No home, no money…´At least until I´m healthy enough to hunt a job..´Candice thought. With a weak smile she responded to Shawn "Thank you!"_

_After 2 hours they arrived in front of Shawns house. It was big, white and impressive for Candice. She liked the front yard. Absolutely beautiful she thought. _

_The apartment where she was living with her family was simply hell…It consisted of 3 little rooms. The bathroom and the kitchen had to be shared with the neighbors. It was really small because they weren´t able to pay bigger and better apartments. Candice have had to clean up everything in the apartment cause her mother worked every night__ and slept at noon. Her stepfather didn´t have a job. He took every penny from Candices mother and bought himself alcohol. And with the effect of the alcohol he drunk all day he hurt Candice and did something that made her nights unbearable so she lost zest for life…Her stepfather raped her when Candices mother wasn´t around. She couldn´t tell anyone about this cause she felt dirty like a slut. Her step- father commanded her not to say anything to her mother or anyone else as well cause if not he would do worse, more than raping…like selling her to other men and thus making money. No, that´s not what Candice desired for her future. She didn´t want to be a tard. So she had to shut her mouth about the raping and go on with her life like a corpse. _

_But something Candice didn´t expected, though still hoped for happened. She got away from her miserable life and will start from the beginning, hopefully with much more luck._

_Entering the house, Candice couldn´t believe what she saw. It was like paradise…comfortable, warm, beautiful. "OMG! What a house!" Candice exclaimed in excitement. But as soon as Candice realized that she was acting like a little child who got new toys she instantly stood quite and nervous. Shawn noticed Candices abrupt change of mood and chuckled to himself._

"_So Miss…That´s the place where I´m living with my daughter" Shawn stretched out his left hand to show Candice the living room with its furniture. "What´s your name by the way?"_

"_My name´s Candice! And you are?"_

"_Shawn Mi-" Shawn got interrupted by his daughter who was running down the stairs and afterwards hugging him enormously. _

"_Dad! Where were you? Why did__ it took so long for you to come home? I called the chauffeur, still nothing. Do you know how much I worried?" Breaking the hug she said tensely and fidgetyly but quieten down as soon as she noticed that someone foreign stood next to her father. "Uhm…" She looked confused to her father. "Who is this?"_

"_Ok Mickie! First of all relax. I´ll explain you everything. This is Candice!" motioning with his right hand to her. _

"_Hi.." Candice said nervously._

"_Hey, I´m Mickie!" They shook hands. Mickie looked up to Shawn._

"_Ok. Sure you wanna know why she´s here."_

"_Yup!" The both of them started to go to Mickies room. Candice took a seat in the living room._

"_That´s what happened…The chauffeur made an accident when Candice was suddenly in the middle of the street."_

"_What? And you don´t inform me?"_

"_Let me explain Mickie! Right after the accident we drove to a hospital but she didn´t want to stay ther and said that she doesn´t have a home.."_

"_Oh…"_

"_Obviously she has some problems with her family right now. So I offered her to stay here until she´s alright again."_

"_Ok, I understand…but wouldn´t it be better if she stayed in a hospital?"_

"_She just has to have a rest and take some medicine...She didn´t want to stay there. I think because of money. Why should be a girl outside running in the darkness when she has enough money to book a hotel room? You know?"_

"_Right.."_

"_So..please be nice to her. I´m sure you guys can get friends!" Shawn said smiling._

"_Daddy! You don´t even need to say this!" Mickie smiled at her father and hugged him._

x:x:x:x:x:x

"OMG! You guys are crazy. What was that about?" Candice was still shocked from what happened earlier on.

"We wanted to surprise you!" Mickie said with a smile on her face and chuckled at the same time as she remembered Candices reaction.

"What? Mickie..You were in this, too?" Candice couldn´t believe her friends. "You guys know that I don´t like to be scared.." she pouted.

"Come on, Candice! We just have some great news!" Ashley got excited and hold Candices hands.

"OMG! You´re not gonna believe what happened!" Melina squealed, jumping up and down.

"Ok...You guys really scare me! What is going on?" Candice stared at everyone in the room with a confused look on her face.

"Don´t panic, Candice! Should I bring you something to drink, sweetie?" Trish tried to calm down Candice.

"No! Just tell me what this big surprise is please?"Candice was getting annoyed now.

Everyone fixed their eyes on Torrie who must tell Candice the news. "You´re gonna join WWE, just like Mickie, Melina, Trish, Ashley and me!" Torrie announced with excitement.

Candice was in a state of shock but happy about the surprise. As she was sitting on her bed, the other 5 girls hugged her in happiness. 


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO-"A New Chapter In My Life"

"Welcome to WWE, Candice!" Stephanie McMahon smiled at Candice and sticked out her right hand.

"Thank you!" Candice shook her hand.

"Like I said, you´ll receive your first storyline per fax sometime this week so you can start here as the newest WWE Diva!"

"I´m really excited to become a part/ member of this big company!" Candice, of course extremely happy, tried not to sound like a crazy fan.

"I´m looking forward to have you here!"

"Thank you Ms. McMahon!" Candice smiled.

"Call me Steph, Candice! Don´t see me as your boss! Think of me as an older sister, alright? We´re much like a family in the WWE! And now you´re in this, too!" Steph smiled.

_Family.._Candice thought for a few seconds. This one word made her remember her past she still wants to forget so badly.

"Okay, thanks Steph! Bye!"

"Take care!"

And with that Candice left the room in a content and at the same time thoughtful mood.

x:x:x:x:x:x

"Oh shit! My head!" Candice said out loud with her left hand on her forehead. And within a second she noticed what she just did and looked up to the man standing in front of her. "I..I´m really sorry! I didn´t mean to.." Candice trailed off when she got hypnotized/ mesmerized by eyes which were holding hers really tight. These eyes..they were shiny green, unbelievably beautiful.

After a while the man smiled at her and said "It´s okay!".

Candice was like a status, she couldn´t move neither could she speak. There was something about this man that frightened her, because it was new to her. The way he looks at her. She doesn´t even know if it´s good or bad, nice or mean. Just new, therefore different.

When Candice heard a door slammed shut in the hall she shook her head to concentrate. "Uhm..okay!" she said and walked away very quickly without looking back to the man who confused her thoughts, but she couldn´t really see her way either. On her way to find Mickie, Candice bumped to two other workers. She didn´t notice them because the man´s eyes were still very clear in Candice´s mind. Even though they weren´t accusing or vicious, Candice was now afraid. Because of those eyes Candice was beginning to lose control and wandering around, endangering everyone in near.

Is that supposed to be good?

But then again, she knew very well what was really bad and horrible. The fear she felt in her past was much stronger and more appropriate. The fear she felt right now is a new experience for her. Though there was fear, she had seen something unknown to her, that she awkwardly wanted to get to know!

"Candice! What´s up? You okay?" Mickie was waving her hand in front of Candice´s face.

"Uhm..Huh?" Candice blinked confused. Looking around, she realized that she reached the catering. It was full of the WWE Superstars and Divas "Oh..Yeah!".

Mickie watched Candice suspiciously, not sure why she was acting weirdly. But before she could ask anything someone came up holding her waist. Of course it was John Cena – WWE Superstar and her caring boyfriend. He gave her a short kiss on her right cheek and smiled at her, which made her forget all of her worries. "Hey Candy! How was your meeting with Stephanie?" John asked, looking her way.

Candice glanced to John. "My meeting? Oh right!" She was still taken back by her encounter with ´the man´ she can´t get out of her head. She almost forgot the reason why she was standing among WWE Superstars. "Yeah, it was good!" Candice said evenly while nodding with her head.

"You sure?" John asked sceptically, not believing that Candice isn´t freaking out even just a bit like any other girl would for joining the WWE! As he saw the look on Candice´s face, as if she was now getting angry, he knew that she understood his question wrong. "Oh! No, Candice! No need to get mad at me, alright? You got me wrong! I mean I believe that you are now a WWE Diva. What I can´t believe is that you´re acting like you aren´t happy about the information! You know you´re just acting too normal and cool for a girl whose dream was to join the WWE!"

"Actually, he´s right Candice! You´re not being your usual self since you came back from your meeting with Stephanie. So, what´s up with you?" Mickie started to worry about Candice.

"I´m okay..I´m just.." Candice trailed off when she saw someone certain walk into the room. It was the same person she bumped into several minutes ago. "Uhm..Yeah! I´m okay, let´s go now!" Candice started to grow nervous because of his presence. She didn´t really know why. Somehow it made her feel uncomfortable and awkward even though she doesn´t know anything about this person.

Mickie noticed very clearly Candices awkward mood which was very unusual. "Okay okay, Candice. But you´re frightening me, just so you know."

Just when Mickie turned to John to say goodbye she saw that John was waving at one of his friends. Stopping, she also waved at him. "Hey Jeff. How was your first match after so much time off?"

After following Johns gaze Candice realized that he was talking to him. Oh dear.. He was approaching them. What should she do now? "Uhm Mickie, I really need to go now. Come on!" Candice said while turning to the other side so she wouldn´t stare at him without a pause all the time. Worst thing would be in her mind him recognizing her after all.

"Just one sec Candice! There´s a person you have to get to know and then we´ll go, no better, we´ll even run out of this room as fast as possible, ok!" Micke tried to calm Candice down even though she didn´t have an idea why she was exaggerating like that. Slowly but surely Mickie was getting annoyed.

"Hey dude! Great! I really missed it." The person replied to John as he now stood next to him.

"Hey Jeff! Welcome back to Raw!" Mickie greeted him as well. They hugged. "So, what´s up? Didn´t see you in a while."

"Nothing much really. Going on with life but that´s really hard without wrestling..Wrestling is my life, you know!" he smiled. "I´m just glad to be back." Looking around the building, he remembered how it looked like before he had to leave. "It´s crazy how thinks changed in just one year!"

"Yeah! And talking about change! Here´s the latest. Mickie said to Jeff looking at Candice. Right then Candice realized what Mickie attempted to do and that made her uncomfortable. "This is WWE´s newest addition." Mickie reached her hands to Candice. "My dear friend Candice!"

´Oh great! Thanks a lot Mickie!´ Candice thought and she gave Mickie an angry look. But at the same time she still felt nervous. Slowly turning to Jeff, Candice faked a smile and shook his hand. "Hey!" That was all she could say in that moment of time.

When he realized who Candice was, Jeff smiled. He found their encounter moments ago amusing, even the situation right now! To say the truth, it was Candice´s nature which amused him. There wasn´t any playing at all. Everything was so true and honest. Even though he had a lot of experience with women, this or let´s say she was new to him. A woman who didn´t try to hide her real self. "Hey! Nice to meet you!"

Candice tried to away from this man but there was one moment when she was captured by his eyes. At this moment Candice felt insecure and weak. This man was doing something with her. She didn´t know if it was good or bad! Out of fear she looked away from him and turned to Mickie. "Come on, Mickie! We need to go, don´t we?" Candice took Mickie´s arm and pulled her practically out of the room. All she could do was to wave with her free hand to Jeff and John and give them an apologetic look.

When they were out of the building at the parking lot Candice was still pulling on Mickie´s arm. Out of frustration Mickie stopped on her track and broke free from Candice´s grip. "What is up with you Candice?" she asked her in a high-pitched tone. Candice glanced at Mickie. She looked frightened, her eyes watery, her tears about to break free and roll down her cheeks. "Candice, what is up dear?" Now she felt bad for her best friend. She rushed to her side and hugged her. She didn´t understand Candice´s reaction. She was a complicated person. It was not easy for her to open her heart for others after what she has been through in her past. Candice didn´t even tell her everything about her life. She preferred to leave it behind and not talk about it but that did not work very well. Mickie is the one witnessing how bad Candice can feel in an unexpected moment. There are nights when she is crying or even screaming in her sleep and she does not seem to be able to escape her nightmares. Every morning she looks like an exhausted boxer who had a rough night doing everything to survive. As much as she loves Candice, she hates the reasons that cause her to feel bad and unhappy. Candice was not just her best friend, she was more than that, like a sister whom she feels obliged to take care of. No one could harm her anymore. She would always be there for her.

But what is the reason for Candices fear right now? She had to find out. Breaking the hug, Mickie took Candice´s hand and lead her to her car. Candice´s face was still frozen. She looked straight forward, somehow in agony, and didn´t blink once. The only thing moving in her expression were her tears. Even though Mickie wanted to talk to her about the reasons for her tears, she decided to leave her at peace until she found a nice place at the seaside to relax and calm down.

x:x:x:x:x:x

Jeff and John were still at the same spot trying to understand the actions of Candice and Mickie.

"You have an idea why they ran out of this building?" Jeff asked John, but both of them were clueless.

"I don´t know. She isn´t like that normally. But today..there must have had happened something, that confounded her. Usually she isn´t awkward at all." Whenever John saw Jeff´s ponding face he had to laugh a bit.

"What?" Jeff asked bemused.

"You´re really trying to understand women! That´s funny actually!" John laughed again. Jeff, too. It seemed weird but it was really important for him to understand Candice.

x:x:x:x:x:x

Stopping in a park, Candice and Mickie sit down on a bench. Candice still looked perplexed and awkward. Mickie grew more and more worried. "Candice, darling, what is that made you feel so uncomfortable?" Mickie stared in her eyes.

Turning her head to Mickie, Candice tried to answer, not knowing really what to say "I don´t know..I don´t know why I´m feeling like this. I am afraid, helpless, kind of caught up, not knowing how to escape. What does that mean?"

"Actually Candice, I don´t understand a word of what you´re saying. What happened, tell me!"

"I don´t know! The only thing I know is that I feel weak. I don´t want this. I don´t want to be weak anymore, Mickie. I want to change and forget about my weaknesses and inabilities." A tear rolled down her cheek.

Mickie grab her hand. "Candice, you are surely not weak at all. You´re so strong! I don´t know what you´ve been through in your past. But I experienced your pain very well. And if your still standing on your own two feet, that shows that you don´t let your past get you down! That´s honorable, Candice. I really admire you for that."

Mickie smiled to Candice and Candice hugged her. "Did I say that I love you, Micks?"

"Well, today actually not!" Mickie grinned.

"I´m so thankful to have such a great and awesome friend like you."

In that moment Mickie´s phone rang. Breaking the hug, Mickie answered the call "Hello?"

"Hey Micks! Where are you?" Ashley asked in a hurry.

"What´s up Ash, you okay?" She started to worry.

"Micks, don´t tell me you forgot. Everyone is waiting for you and Candice, you know!" Now Mickie knew what Ashley was talking about.

"Oh..okay! We´re coming!" she hung up and tried not to give Candice a clue of what was expecting her. "Uhm, Ash called me. She told me that John is worried because of earlier. Maybe we should go now before he calls the police." Mickie grinned to Candice.

x:x:x:x:x:x

Mickie and Candice arrived at their apartment. Getting out of the car Mickie rushed upstairs. Even though this was a bit awkward Candice wasn´t worried. She knew Mickie. She probably needed to pee!

Candice in contrary to Mickie took her time to go upstairs. Reaching the door she knocked it. Mickie didn´t open the door. ´Most likely she is still in the toilet.´ Candice thought. She found the keys and opened the door by herself. Inside the apartment it was dark. That still didn´t leave Candice worried. Surely Mickie just forgot to switch on the lights. After all she was in a hurry.

Therefore Candice did it. She turned to go into the living room but she was stopped in her tracks by a very loud squeal. So many people…and in front of them all, her best friends. "Hey Candice! Come on, we´re partying your signing to WWE!" Ashley said with big eyes. ´Nice, very nice!´ Candice thought and tried not to show her discomfort about it. She didn´t like to be in the spotlight. Everyone in this room came because of her. This idea didn´t appeal to her because everyone was going to have their eyes on her, eager to get know her. But that was something she has to get used to. If she liked it or not, sooner or later she was going to be in public in front of millions of people. That, she had to accept to go for her dreams.

Candice forced a smile on her face so the situation wouldn´t be awkward. Melina and Mickie approached her, taking her into their arms from both sides to put her among the people. "Candice, are you mad at us? We know that you don´t like things like that but we just had to do it!" Melina told her nervously. "I mean you have to get to know all the people and that´s the best occasion for it!" Melina tried to motivate Candice but Candice´s eyes were so clear that Melina was afraid to look in her face again. "Right Mickie? Don´t you want to tell something, too?"

"Yes! I totally agree. You´ll like it, I´m sure because there are so nice people in here and it would be a shame to not get to know them!" Mickie did it. She blinked at Candice sweetly so she couldn´t resist to her. Mickie had her ways to soften Candice. Now the smile on her face wasn´t forced at all.

"You guys are really sweet!" She kissed both of them on their cheeks. Then Ashley, Torrie and Trish came closer to the three of them with bright smiles, hoping Mickie and Melina convinced her. Looking in the eyes of her friends Candice spoke "Ok, I´ll do my best to not frustrate you! I will try to have fun, ok?" The girls were thrilled. All of them kissed Candice on her cheeks. "Ok, ok! But if you´re gonna attack me like this the whole time, I don´t know if I can hold on. I feel dizzy already!" Candice said playing around.

"Well, that´s for sure that you´ll feel dizzy in this party anyways! I mean this room is full of hot wrestlers…even though they´re nowhere near to my Randy!" Torrie was crazy about Randy Orton. They have been together for ten months now. Whenever she was talking about him, it seemed like she only saw him. And there she was already seeking Randy in the room. "Girls, excuse me! I-"

"Just go Torrie. We know!" Ashley smiled. The girls watched Torrie leave their side. She was happy like an innocent child. "She adores him so much! I hope that he will not hurt him one time! Otherwise he´ll have to deal with me!" Ashley stated determined.

"I hope Matt arrives before you start a fight with someone! Then he can keep you busy!" Trish blinked to Ashley. All of them had to laugh.

"Besides, where are they? John is also not here." Mickie said after looking through the room.

"My Johnny is here actually." Melina smiled at John Morrison in the other corner of the room. "Well excuse me girls, I´mma go to him! See ya!"

"Nice that we´ve got this straight, too but that does not answer my question really." Mickie told bemused.

"John is also with Matt on the way. He told me that they have a surprise for us." Ashley explained frowning.

"And you´re sad about what?" Trish asked her not understanding her reaction.

"He didn´t tell me what it is! Why does he conceal it from me? I´m his girlfriend!"

"Come on Ash! Of course he´s not gonna tell you. It´s a surprise, you know!" Trish tried to calm her down but Ashley was still being stubborn. That made the girls laugh again.

Ashley was really unique. From her looks and the way she preferred to dress she looked like a strong, independent and confident person. Sure she was strong, independent and self-confident but when it comes to her feelings and the man she loves she felt insecure, fragile and weak. She is afraid that Matt could leave her one day. That´s why sometimes she can overreact about a subject involving Matt. Even though it´s just a surprise, Ashley can´t stand the idea of something secret being between the two of them.

Her friends knew why she was so sad. It wasn´t about the surprise. Yes, Ashley was afraid to loose Matt because she thought that she wasn´t that important for him as he was for her. Matt had a lot of relationships while Ashley only loved him. She couldn´t live without him while she thought he could.

"Ash, you do know that you´re a wonderful person, right?" Mickie stroke her cheek. "You don´t need to be in fear. Matt loves you!" Mickie and Ashley hugged. Trish hugged her as well. Then Candice gave the three of them a kiss on their cheeks.

"Come on sweeties! I thought you organized this party to have fun!" Candice tried to feel good in the party so her friends would, too. She demanded them to dance with her, nearly pulling them to her side. She really didn´t like to dance but for her best friends she could do nearly everything, just to make them feel good. Whenever she saw them happy she would be happy, too. Every one of them was having fun.

After nearly an hour the doorbell rang. "That must be Matt!" Not waiting a second Ashley rushed to the door to open it. Candice, Mickie and Trish went to get themselves a drink.

Opening the door, Ashley couldn´t believe what was in front of her. "OMG! Jeff! Is it really you!" she hugged him very tightly.

Candice was sipping from her drink when she heard Ashley squealing. Her drink fell out of her hands the moment she saw his face again.


End file.
